When the New York Giants decided to part ways with running back Orleans Darkwa following the 2017 season, it came as a bit of a surprise. But Darkwa sitting out the 2018 season was an even greater surprise.
As it turns out however, teams weren’t simply overlooking Darkwa — he had suffered a torn Achilles during an October 2018 workout with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Yep, I knew it,” Darkwa told ESPN in February of the moment he ruptured his Achilles during a workout in early October for the Jacksonville Jaguars. “That is when all the crazy emotions came out.
“When that happened, I burst into tears. I was just screaming. I was like, ‘This couldn’t have happened. I worked my [expletive] off.’ I was just screaming. It was a crazy day.”
Almost seven months later and Darkwa is back to “100 percent” and looking to make his NFL return.
In 52 career games, Darkwa has gained 1,038 yards and scored nine touchdowns while averaging over 4.2 yards per carry. He’s also hauled in 29 receptions for 207 yards out of the backfield.
Darkwa’s best season came in 2017 when he took over for Paul Perkins as the Giants’ starting running back, gaining 751 yards on 171 carries (4.4 ypc) and scoring five touchdowns.
